Secondary Melbourne

The following programs are designed to incorporate AusVELS. They provide an effective and integrated approach for teaching across the Domains. Each program is led by a Royal Botanic Gardens secondary teacher and can be adapted to suit individual group needs. Teacher professional development workshops are also available on request.

Session times

All programs 1 hour and 45 minutes in duration.
10.15am to 12 noon
12.30pm to 2.15pm

Cranbourne bookings and information

Melbourne programs

Health and Wellbeing in Nature NEW

Health and wellbeing is interconnected with time spent in natural environments. Being in nature reduces anger, fear, anxiety and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

In this specially developed new program, students are invited to explore the physical, mental and emotional benefits of spending time outside. Participants will brainstorm and discuss the role of healthy foods, physical exercise and spending time outside in cultivating health and wellbeing. Through practice of mindfulness exercises, participants will learn to nurture their own self-awareness and greater awareness of others and the natural world.

Carbon Futures

Climate change is a global challenge impacting all countries but in different ways. This program explores some of the social justice issues raised by climate change and some of the opportunities to make the world a more interesting and a better place. Find out what students in East Timor are doing to improve their lives and how you might help. Discover the carbon cycle and how plants can help moderate climate change.

Landscapes for Learning

Are you planning a garden or outdoor space at your school?

Do you want the students to be an integral part of the design and implementation process?

Through the exploration of the plants and landscapes of the Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden, students discover how to develop an outdoor space that can be centred around sustainability, biodiversity, as well as creative and artistic expression .

During their visit they will explore the design of outdoor spaces, using natural materials, the sensory world of plants, real work in the garden, plant selection, sustainability, biodiversity and how these can be incorporated into their own school environment.

Students will take home a seedling or propagated plant to contribute to their garden space.

Connecting to Country (Year 7–VCE)

Connecting to Country is designed to give students a greater understanding and respect for the local Koolin culture. Students visit Long Island, where indigenous plant habitat has been returned and understand the significance of Waa (the raven) and Birrarung (Yarra River). Experiences include making and using ochre paint and string making. The emphasis is on diversity and examining sustainable land practices used by Aboriginal people.

Working Wetlands

This program examines the vital resource of water and how the Royal Botanic Gardens uses water saving and water quality improvement strategies. The program explores how to create sustainable habitats for indigenous plant and animal communities in a suburban environment. Students will participate in a variety of activities including ponding for fresh water invertebrates, observations of wildlife habitats and developing ideas for future sustainable resource use.

The Rainforest (Year 7–9)

Experience a rainforest in the centre of Melbourne! Within the Gardens there is a huge diversity of rainforest plants from Australia and around the world. Students will explore rainforest structure and ecology and the importance of rainforest conservation.

Biodiversity on the Yarra (Year 7–9)

Where in Melbourne would you go to see spoonbills and night herons feeding at the billabong, eels and long-necked tortoises swimming in a wetland or even powerful owls and a reed warbler? As you walk through this re-vegetated area you will be able to observe some of the interrelationships between the indigenous flora and fauna using binoculars to explore life cycles and food chains. Students will examine aquatic invertebrates through microscopes and pond sampling.

Water Management – Explore Guilfoyle’s Volcano

This program students a full understanding of the history of water use in the Gardens, explores ways that water-saving techniques can be used in the wider community, and engages and challenges students through a range of hands-on activities. Activities include making a dripper watering system, creating contour lines on a landscape and observing water-saving principles in operation.

Climate Change

Climate change is now accepted as a reality that we have to address globally. Find out what it means for us and what we can do about it. Take home a drought-tolerant carbon-fixing plant, and find out how to creatively manage and store water while reflecting on the bigger picture solutions.

Contribute to a national science program that helps inform Australia’s response to climate change. Walk the ClimateWatch trail and observe the plants and animals that are most sensitive to future climate change. Record what you see using the free ClimateWatch smartphone app, or on recording sheets available from the Visitor Centre.

Water 4 Life (Year 7–10)

Understanding water is vital in the face of a drying continent. This water conservation program explores the role of water in the ecology of natural environments such as billabongs and wetlands. Student activities include water sampling, exploring sustainable gardening practices by propagating a plant, and understanding how the Gardens is conserving water. Students examine plant adaptations for arid and low rainfall environments.

Plant Toxicology (Year 9–10)

Come on a journey to discover the hidden power of plants and how they fight for survival in the face of constant attack from animals. Learn about the poisons that plants make in order to defend themselves and the effects these have on humans and other animals. Learn the shocking truth that many common garden plants and parts of common food plants are poisonous. Recognise the features of poisonous plants, learn about medicinal plants and plants thought to have magical powers.

Sustainable Gardening (Year 7–10)

The basic skills of sustainable gardening practice are taught during this hands-on program exploring water conservation, organic gardening methods, composting and worm farming. Students will consider ideas for designing and developing their own gardens by exploring the landscapes of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Plantworks (Year 7–10)

Explore the structure and function of plants and investigate amazing adaptations from a variety of ecosystems. Students participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes, pot up a native plant seedling and investigate the plant collections in the Tropical Hot House and Herb Garden.

Changing Landscapes (Year 7–10)

This program examines Melbourne’s changing landscape, focusing on the importance of the Yarra River and the role of vegetation within the landscape, as well as its significance to the Koolin. Students will compare historic images and propagate an indigenous plant to take home.

Rare and Threatened Species

Students are shown effective planting techniques and the seedlings were planted in a suitable location within or close to each school. Participating schools have been given expert advice and are committed to the ongoing care of their new Rare and Threatened plant beds.

The Rare and Threatened Species education program partnership was developed with five secondary schools in 2009 to highlight a new series of plant display beds showcasing our collection of rare and threatened Australian native plant species. The Rare and Threatened Species Collection includes plants from five significant ecosystems in Victoria: Grampians, Mallee, Alpine, Grasslands and Gippsland Forest regions. A modified, one-visit version of the Rare and Threatened education program is now available to interested secondary schools on request.

LOTE: Italian, Indonesian and French (Year 7–VCE)

These programs help teachers immerse their students in the Gardens as an inspiring resource for language studies. Activities highlight plant use in these cultures and provide opportunity for language enrichment.

Working Wetlands (VCE Environmental Studies Unit 4)

Examine the flow of storm water and discover how it is diverted through the lakes system via gross pollutant traps and then filtered and cleaned through Floating Treatment Wetlands using bio-remediation techniques.

Working Wetlands (VCE Geography Unit 2)

Explore the management techniques used in harnessing recycled storm water for irrigation. Students assess the sustainability of the water recycling program and conduct fieldwork to analyse its future success.

Plant Adaptations (VCE Biology Unit 2)

Explore the diverse plant collections of the Gardens to discover many of the remarkable adaptations that allow plants to survive in a range of different environments. Students explore the plant collections of the Australian Rainforest Border, the Tropical Glasshouse and the Arid Garden, and participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes.

Plant Evolution and Diversity (VCE Biology Unit 1 and Unit 4)

Take an evolutionary journey of plant diversity from liverworts to lilies. See representatives of many of the plant phyla and their families and discover what kind of evolutionary advantages they have developed. Students participate in observational activities in the Gardens using stereo microscopes.

Behind the Scenes (VCE Biology Unit 1)

Visit the National Herbarium of Victoria and the Gardens' Nursery Collections and discover some fascinating botanical specimens. Learn about the work that goes on in the Herbarium such as plant identification and its significance over the last 150 years. See how specimens are collected, prepared, documented and mounted. Please note that no photographs can be taken in the Herbarium or Nursery area without prior arrangement.

This program examines Melbourne’s changing landscape, focusing on the importance of the Yarra River and the role of vegetation within the landscape, as well as its significance to the Koolin. Students will compare historic images and propagate an indigenous plant to take home.

Science

Horticulture

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Science

Conservation

Victoria's flora and fungi are under increasing threat from climate change, environmental weeds, agriculture and urbanisation. Climate change will especially impact on plants restricted to the coldest environments on mountain summits, which are likely to lose their only suitable habitat. At Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, studies of taxonomy, distribution, population genetics, propagation, translocation and seed banking all contribute to the conservation of Victoria’s and Australia's plants and fungi.

Weeds and biosecurity

Protecting our rare and threatened species

In Victoria, there are nearly 700 native species of plants (of approximately 3,200) that are considered to be threatened and many others are rare. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria plays a leading role in programs to conserve these endangered species in order to stabilise or increase populations in their natural habitat. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is particularly involved in the conservation of native terrestrial orchids. Victoria is a 'hotspot' for orchid diversity, with 23 per cent of Australia's orchid species in just 3 per cent of the land area. Most of the native orchid species found in Victoria are terrestrial, and at least a third occur nowhere else.

Horticulture

Plant Collections

Botanic gardens throughout the world play a significant role in helping scientists and the public understand the evolution and history of plants, their present day uses as well as what the future may hold for plants in natural environments. Across our two locations at Melbourne and Cranbourne, our experienced horticulture teams manage 45 plant collections as well as a significant area of precious bushland at Cranbourne Gardens. All of our collections feature plant labels which show each plant's scientific name comprised of a genus and species.

Sustainable Management

Our horticultural and environmental research is focused on responding to future challenges such as water availability and changing climatic conditions and looking at how these may impact on plant and landscape conservation within the gardens.

Environmental Management

At both Cranbourne and Melbourne our land management teams focus on irrigation management, finding alternate water sources, water quality and biodiversity of the lakes system; reducing weeds, protecting plants against pests and diseases and managing soils.

Water conservation

We are constantly striving to improve irrigation efficiency, stormwater treatment, lake ecosystems and water quality in the lake system. Recently the Working Wetlands project was completed at Melbourne Gardens, reducing reliance on potable water by 40%.

How we garden in botanic gardens, how you garden at home and how we all garden as a community has big impacts on the biodiversity and sustainability of urban Australia. The Australian Garden at Cranbourne is designed to showcase how native plants can make a spectacular and waterwise home garden. There is an Australian plant suitable for virtually any situation in your garden, from tall trees to ground covers, aquatic plants to those growing in low light or in full sun. Australian plants attract native birds and butterflies, and brighten up your garden with wonderful seasonal colour. Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria to find inspiration and great tips for using Australian native plants at home.

Support

Help the Gardens grow

The Royal Botanic Gardens has a special place in the hearts and minds of all Victorians. The Gardens has played an important role in the cultural development of Melbourne and can continue to flourish with the help of passionate individuals. There are many ways to get involved with the Gardens and we value any level of support, whether you are a friend or a donor, a member of our Director’s Circle or one of our volunteers. There are also ways to honour those you love by dedicating a tree or a bench within the Garden of your choice.

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Many people share the Gardens with those they love and some visitors choose to mark a significant occasion by dedicating a tree or a bench to someone special. In the Gardens you’ll notice each bench has a dedication plaque featuring a favourite quote or the recognition of an anniversary, achievement or occasion.

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Shop at the Gardens

The gift shop offers a unique opportunity to support the work of the Gardens and share your love of the Gardens with your friends and family. We stock a wide range of gardening, eco-living and horticulture inspired products that will delight gardeners of all ages. Proceeds from every purchase go towards supporting the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in its mission to advance the knowledge and enjoyment of plants and to foster their conservation.

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Supporting local artists

The gift shop has teamed up with a group of talented botanical artists to create an exclusive range of products to support the Cranbourne Collection botanical art exhibition. This range of beautiful giftware featuring detail from the original artworks is Australian made and will be available for a limited time only.

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Hands-on education

The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria at Melbourne and Cranbourne offers a rich learning environment for students of all ages and abilities. Our Education Services team develops adaptive, strategic curriculum based programs to assist teachers and provide an enjoyable and valuable learning experience for students from kindergarten to university. Each education program is designed to support teachers in achieving the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and is delivered by a qualified teacher.